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Many years ago, the powers that be in the then Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board (the predecessor of todays Public Transport Corporation) had a sudden inspiration. Why not, they thought, grab a tram or two and offer to paint them in an all over advertising scheme for whatever organisation wanted to (and had the necessary wherewithal.
One must go back to the 1914 - 1918 war to find the first decorated tram. This was Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust No. 6 which was decorated for a World War One recruiting drive. All over decoration of trams didn't really take off until 1978 (apart from several one-off trams). Between 1978 and 1982 16 W2 class trams (234, 243, 336, 504, 525, 567, 340, 345, 497, 503, 607, 384, 444, 502, 439 and 567 were painted in colourful schemes under the Transporting Art program. No. 567 was originally painted in a scheme featuring Japanese flags and the words Mother Knows on each side. This was considered offensive (I wonder why?) so the tram was repainted.
After these trams were withdrawn in 1986, 12 SW5 class trams 682, 721, 722, 726, 731, 738, 758, 760, 802, 806, 816 and 829 became Transporting Art cars. A further five cars (723, 724, 727, 729 and 749) were painted in colourful schemes by other groups including the tramways union. Alas, they are all now in storage (in deplorable condition at the Newport Railway Workshops).
As of July 1993 ten specially illuminated W class trams were in service in all over advertising schemes. Most of these trams are now in storage, here is the number of each tram and what its final advertising scheme was.
As this page now lives in Brisbane, Queensland it is very difficult to keep it properly updated. A much better site to visit for Melbourne's decorated trams is Current tram advertising liviries where you will find all the latest trams with photos.
Here are some photos of various decorated trams both past and present. Click on each photo to see it full size.
Photo Credits.
1. Clive Mottram.
Page last updated on March 15, 2001.
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Melbourne's Trams to the Millennium.
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Dave's Melbourne Tram Pages.
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Current Tram Advertising Liveries
